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G. B. SHERMAN & J. NUTT.

WIRE FRAME FOR HAT BRIMS. No. 299,279. Patented May 27, 1884.

Mrs STATES! arnnr tries.

GEORGE B. SHERMAN AND J OSEPEI NUTT, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT; SAID NUTTASSIGNOR TO SAID SHERMAN.

WIRE FRAME FOR HAT-BRHVIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,279, dated May 27,1884.

Application filed March 17, 1884.

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE E. SHERMAN and Josnrrr NUTT, of Danbury, inthe county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a newImprovement in WVireFrames for Hat-Brims; and we do hereby declare thefollowing, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and theletters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of thisspecification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a plain flat elliptical wire frame; Fig. 2, a section cuttingthrough on the longest diameter; Fig. 3, the same as Fig. 2, but bentfrom the horizontal plane to give the dip at the front and rear; Fig.4:, a transverse section cutting at right angles to Fig. 3 at the centersides, and showing the dip, these figures being "introduced preparatoryto the illustration of our invention; Fig. 5, aperspective view of ourimproved frame complete; Fig. 6, asection of the same, cutting throughthe longest diameter-that is, centrally from front to rear.

This invention relates to an improvement in wire springs or frames whichare introduced into the brims of hats to give them the requiredcurvature. These frames must have an outline corresponding to theperiphery of the rim. In some cases this is a complete circle, in otherselliptical that is, narrower from side to side than from front torearand as it is necessary that the brim shall droop or dip at the frontand rear a corresponding curve,

from the flat plane must be given to the spring or frame in order thatthe frame may aid in retaining the shape of the brim. These frames areusually made from tempered steel wire, and require treatment to givethem the requisite compound curved shape. As the greatest force whichthe spring is required to resist is radialthat is, against the edge ofthe brimthe stronger the frame can be made in that direction the better.

In the more general construction of this class of frames the wire hasbeen bent into the hoop shape flatwisetl1at is, so as to bring the fiator broad surface of the wire outward, the edges up and down-thuspresenting the wire in its weakest form to the edge of the (No model.)

brim. If the wire be simply bent edgewise into a hoop shape, as seen inFig. 1, and so that the wire lies in a horizontal plane, as seen in Fig.2, the hoop has the outline of the brim in a horizontal plane, butwithout the dip. Now, if this flat hoop be bent to give the requireddip, as seen in Fig. 3, the wire will lie in a flat plane at the sides,as seen in Fig. 4, but from the center sides will gradually inclinedownward, as seen at the extreme ends, Fig. 3, and because of the twistwhich such a bend gives to the wire it loses a large portion of itsstrength radially, that is to resist the force from the outside.

The object of our invention is to produce a wire frame for hats in whichthe wire shall lie fiatwisethat is, its edge outward, but bent toproduce the dip at the front and rear without twisting-and so that theflat surface of the wire throughout will stand in a horizontalplane-that is to say, at diametrically-opposite pointsin the frame nomatter where taken, the wire at those two diametrically-opposite pointswill be in the same horizontal plane and in such a hat-frame ourinvention consists.

Our frame is seen in perspective in Fig. 5. It is made from flat wirebent edgewise into shape, elliptical or round, as the case may be,curved to give the droop, but so as to retain the wire in a flathorizontal plane at all points around it, a a, Fig. 6, representing theeX- treme center at the front and rear, and b 1) representing the centerat the opposite sides. From the center sides to the center front andrear the bend of the wire is such, as shown, as to preserve a horizontalplane throughout, and so that the edge of the wire is presented outwardentirely around the rim, the wire lying fiatthat is, in a horizontalplane radially throughout the entire circumference of the frame.

The advantages of this improved frame over a frame in which the flathoop is turned down at the front and rear, so as to present an inclinedposition at the front and rear, are principally that this improved frameis much stronger and better able to resist radial strain upon it, andless liable to be bent or worked out of shape by use.

The devices or machine by which this peouter sides downward to the frontand rear, the liar bend is given to the wire constitutes the plane ofthe wire being horizontal at all points 10 subject of an independentapplication for Letradially, substantially as specified.

ters Patent. GEORGE B. SHERMAN. 5 We claim- JOSEPH NU'IT.

The herein-described wire frame for bat Witnesses: brims, made from flatwire bent edgewise into J ABEZ AMsBURY,

hoop shape and curved fiatwise from the cen- DAVID B. BOOTH.

